Japan’s latest hostage crisis has exposed shortcomings in Japan’s public diplomacy and raises questions about the advice Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received in publicly announcing $200 million in humanitarian aid to help those displaced by conflict with the Islamic State group.

A new report by Physicians for Human Rights accuses Israel of using human shields and attacking medical workers and facilities during last summer’s war in the Gaza Strip. The report is based on testimony from eight overseas medical experts who made three visits to Gaza and interviewed doctors and wounded Palestinians.

The country has made a historic leap after being named the world’s biggest donor, said Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister. In August, the UAE was unofficially named the world’s largest donor of development assistance in proportion to its gross national income (GNI).

One extra benefit of working in the humanitarian sector after a major disaster is that by treating the sick and the injured, we can do more than help survivors - we can also enhance the image of our own country overseas.

Under pressure from the number and intensity of humanitarian crises around the world, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Thursday it was trying to raise a record $1.6 billion to fund its 2015 operations.